Learning
Is your Child having Difficulties with Learning at School? Advice for Parents.
Learning new skills like reading and maths can be a very big step for some kids. Parents can spend hours of patient repetition with their child and still wonder why their child is not progressing in their learning. What can be done to help?
Each child learns at their own pace and when they are developmentally ready.
Some children breeze through their reading, spelling and maths, while others seem to struggle with every new sound, sight word or concept.
As parents, we want the best for our children and wish them to succeed at school.
Children can have difficulties learning in one or more subjects at school. The first step to helping is to really understand where the difficulty lies and how best to help the child.
HOW CAN AN EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT HELP?
An educational assessment will help parents and teachers get to the bottom of what exactly is happening. For example, if a child is having trouble with Reading or Spelling, the assessment will uncover information about:
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The childs phonological awareness. For example, does the child know their sounds? Can they use this information to sound out familiar words? Can they manipulate the sounds? Can they recognise sounds in all parts of words (i.e. beginning, middle and end)?
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Does the child read for meaning? The assessment will give clues as to how the child reads new passages, identifies and corrects mistakes.
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Does the child remember sight words? If the child remembers words by what they look like, some clues can be gathered about how to teach them extra strategies to help them remember new words.
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What approach does the child take to reading? Do some of the strategies work well, or do they hinder the child from progressing?
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Exactly what level is the child's reading/spelling at?
If a child is having trouble with Maths, an assessment can uncover information about:
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What is the child’s preferred learning style? Are they more likely to remember things if they are presented visually, verbally or if they get the opportunity to manipulate examples and practice what they have learnt?
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If they are having trouble with their reading, is that interfering with their progress in maths?
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What exactly are they having trouble with and why? Knowing this will unlock strategies to help the child learn.
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Exactly what level is the child working at in maths?
WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOUR CHILD IS HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH THEIR LEARNING?
Sara Balmer can complete a comprehensive Educational Assessment. This will involve administering standardised assessments with your child, as well as gathering information from parents and school teachers.
A comprehensive, individualised report will be written for your child with recommendations that parents and teachers can implement to help your child’s learning.
Parents are not alone after the assessment. Sara Balmer is available to follow up and assist with any concerns or needs parents have.
If you are concerned that your child is having difficulties with their learning at school or if you would like to know more about learning difficulties please don't hesitate to contact us